In Due Time
by JeMappelleTea
Summary: Three little words remain to be said... Luke needs to talk but Lorelai needs time. LL. Post "Jews and Chinese Food." Chapters 1 and 2 written before premiere of "So... Good Talk." Chapters 3 and 4 written during hiatus. COMPLETE
1. A Void ance

Disclaimer: Shucks, I don't own the show or the characters. Too bad. I shall go sing a sad little song now while you read my fic.

* * *

The audience went wild as the curtain came to a close. The kids, plus Kirk, stepped out and bowed in a haphazard line, giddy with the emotions that came with the end of a quality production, knowing that it was over and that they had succeeded.

Lorelai, however, was already half way home. She wanted to beat the rush out of the building, and when Kirk had had some difficulties with the donkey cart and needed Luke's assistance, she found the perfect opportunity to make her escape. As she pounded her way through town her mind raced, "Do You Love Me" still ringing through her ears. He had been looking at her, too. She saw him. That was all that had held them back, wasn't it? If she had told him what she felt before the whole vow-renewal fiasco, things would have been better. But now. Now it seemed they were just empty words that would be said without any certainty of the truth in an obvious attempt to vie a way back into the comfort of regularity.

Lorelai entered her garage – her sacred space – unceremoniously and turned on the light. She sighed as she looked around. Yes, it was a space all her own. Luke didn't know what he was talking about. She certainly did not have a whole house that was all hers. The house was haunted with memories that weren't just hers and hers alone. Those memories had Rory in them. It was Rory's space. And memories of Luke... She cursed herself for lingering on those particular memories.

Lorelai sighed and picked up the ladder, setting it up so she could hang the disco ball. She walked back to the table where the disco ball sat and she froze in place as a rush of emotions overcame her. Would telling him how she felt reallycome out just as empty words? The unfortunate timing of things didn't make the words any less true, she argued.

"Lorelai, I need to talk to you."

She heard his voice from behind her. She stiffened up and held back a tear, then laughed slightly at the absurdity of the situation. "No, Luke."

"What?"

"I can't talk to you right now."

"But I really need to talk to you, Lorelai."

She turned around to face him and nodded in muted anger. "When I needed to talk to you, you needed time. And I really needed to talk to you. I didn't know what to do. I knew that I messed up but I also knew that a large part of what happened between us was just a giant miscommunication and was not my fault. But you wouldn't hear that because you wouldn't let me talk to you. You needed time. I'm sorry, Luke. I can't do this right now." She sighed and stood stationary for a few seconds, staring at him in disbelief. "You're still here."

"Lorelai, do you know why I did the sets for the show?"

"Because I signed you up and you felt obligated. I'm sorry for that, by the way, I know I should have consulted with you first. I'll try and be better about that next time."

"Lorelai," Luke glowered.

"What?" she huffed. She was in no mood to discuss anything rationally.

"I did it for you."

She laughed. "That's ridiculous." She wiped a tear away from her face, knowing full well that her makeup was smearing beneath the back of her hand. Powder never reacted well with salt water.

"Lorelai, I was an idiot and things went unsaid that shouldn't have. You know that as well as I do." He shook his head. "Better than I do."

She looked up at him, questioningly. _Three little words..._ she thought to herself. _They're just three little words._

"Lorelai," he pleaded.

She ran her hand through her hair and closed her eyes. This was harder than it should have been. "Please, Luke, go."

By the time she opened her eyes all she saw in front of her was a void.

She had said the wrong three words.

* * *

Tell me what you think. I haven't written in a long time and it's by far the shortest anything I've ever turned out. Should I continue? If I do I have spoilerages that I could easily include. Let me know. 


	2. Lovely Rita

It was early the next morning when Lorelai woke up. She had had the same dream again about Luke where they were sitting on his bed, fully clothed, necking with the orange flannel sheets tossed about. Only this time the bed was placed in the middle of the stage at the elementary school while the players from "Fiddler on the Roof" sang "Do You Love Me?" from either side of the bed. Lorelai pulled away from Luke and looked in his eyes while her own were brimming with tears. "Luke?" she started, words wanting to stumble out of her mouth. "I..."

But then she woke up. It seemed no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't tell him. Not even in her dreams.

Lorelai threw on some clothes that she thought were suitable enough for work and walked out the door without looking twice at how unmanaged her hair had become over the night. She walked the few blocks to Weston's, ordered one cup of coffee and a cherry danish and walked out with her breakfast in hand. She strolled along the town square and sat on a park bench, relaxing as the morning sun, unusual for Connecticut in March, hit her back warming her entire being.

She looked around her, soaking in the scenery. The grass was already starting to green, birds were flitting about the square, singing. People milled around seeming wonderfully pleasant. Why, when she felt so miserable, was the rest of the world so... amicable? It wasn't fair. Then she saw something curious over by Luke's. Of course normally she would have cursed herself for even giving a wayward glance towards said dining establishment, but it appeared that there was a meter maid. _Since when does Stars Hollow have a meter maid?_ she wondered. She picked up her purse and walked straight to the area of intrigue.

As Lorelai neared the woman, she surveyed her scrupulously. The pad of paper in her hands, the uniform, the way she held the pencil in her hand. Had she been wearing flannel and a backwards baseball cap she could have passed for the female double of Luke. Only as she wasn't, and as she was looking critically at Luke's boat, Lorelai walked up to her with a degree of uncertain confidence.

"Excuse me?" Lorelai beckoned when she was fewer than three feet away.

"Yes?" the woman replied without looking up from her pad of paper that she was scribbling furiously on.

"Can I help you?"

"Not unless you own this vehicle."

Lorelai sighed. "No, I don't but..." Oh, dear, how could she do this? "Um, this is going to sound a little awkward but, since when do we have a meter maid?" She laughed, trying to make it less awkward but her efforts went unnoticed.

"Since Taylor hired me. Said that there was much too much petty crime on our streets and asked me to take care of that." She tore off the ticket and stuck it on the boat.

Lorelai blinked hard. _Taylor?_ "Taylor hasn't been town selectman since November. Why haven't I seen you, or heard of you, until now?"

The meter maid looked at Lorelai plainly. "Taylor was put back in office three weeks ago when Jackson resigned. I was his first initiative."

"Unbelievable," Lorelai muttered under her breath. She had been so out of it recently that she didn't even know about this. _Why didn't Sookie tellme that Jackson resigned?_

"Yes, isn't it though," came the flat reply. "Now if you'll let me..."

"Um, one thing," Lorelai sighed. She wasn't letting this woman off so easily. "You're writing up a boat?"

"Yes, it's under violations 421 section B and 521 sections A through D which clearly state that..."

"Gah, no. Sorry. I just didn't believe it." Lorelai shook her head.

"I assure you, the boat's presence is all perfectly illegal."

"Well, as long as that's taken care of."

"Yes, now that that's taken care of, I'll just be on my way."

Lorelai let the meter maid walk past her and ran a shaky hand through her hair. She picked up the ticket and swore under her breath as she looked at the price of the fine. She looked through the window of the diner and saw Luke looking at her. She flinched under his gaze. She sighed in defeat.

"Excuse me," she called out again to the maid who she knew was still in hearing range. Time had not slipped so far past her to get this over and done with.

"Yes, Miss Gilmore?"

Lorelai stopped, curious. "How do you know my name?"

"Everybody knows who you are, Miss Gilmore."

"Um, well, okay." She hesitated and glanced back through the window just long enough to be stung for a moment. "Is this really how much I owe you?" she questioned, pointing at the ticket.

"I thought you said the boat wasn't yours."

"Well, things certainly can change depending on the circumstances, can't they?" she asked with a smile.

"I suppose so," she admitted curtly. "Yes, that is the total, Miss Gilmore. Please make the check out to Town of Stars Hollow."

Lorelai wrote the check and ripped it out with undeniable flourish.

"I expect its removal..."

"Within a week," Lorelai ended for her.

"Two days, Miss Gilmore."

"Two days?" That was fast. "I need to find storage for it and spaces are limited and..."

"Two days."

Lorelai nodded. "It'll be off the streets and no longer in violation of town regulations in two days."

"Good." And the meter maid left.

Lorelai looked past the window and behind the counter where once again the space where Luke should have been was left in a void. "Yeah, good."

TBC


	3. Invisible Plane

Note: Sorry I didn't post anything for a LONG time, but I got stumped. I had planned this to be a 3 piece fic and couldn't figure out for the life of me how to reconcile Luke and Lorelai after how chapter two was left. So it is now a four chapter fic and the last and final installment after this chapter should appear shortly (so in less than a day). I promise.

* * *

"I can't move that thing in two days!" Lorelai whined to Sookie. The day had gone by in a whirlwind and Lorelai had spent most of it dreaming up ways she could remove the boat without putting her in an undesirable position. Magic and murder were already considered but put on the list under the heading of "If all else fails." Unfortunately she didn't have a Plan A to fail.

Sookie looked at her watch. "Lorelai, sweetie, I'd love to help you but it's almost five and Jackson and I have a doctor's appointment to make."

Lorelai sighed and tried smiling. "You should go."

"If there's anything I can do, let me know, alright?"

Lorelai gave her friend a hug and stood there, fully appreciating the offer. "I'll call if I need anything."

Sookie picked up her things and backed out of the door, waving a wish of luck to Lorelai.

It took no longer than thirty seconds for Lorelai to collect herself and go after Sookie left. With her pea coat on and her purse on her shoulder, she flipped open her cell phone and speed dialed the only rational person she knew to call: Rory.

Lorelai walked down the driveway of the inn with a brisk step as she listened to the line on the other end ring. On the fifth ring it was picked up.

"Hello?"

"Why hello, Miss Gilmore. This is Mitzi with the New York Times. How are you doing this evening?" Lorelai smiled through her façade.

"Hey Mom."

"Hey babe."

"What's up?" Lorelai could hear that Rory was in the middle of something, but unlike other times recently, Lorelai knew that she had her daughter's full attention.

"I need your help."

"With what?"

"Transforming Mommy into Linda Carter."

"Hmm... Unfortunately I haven't yet mastered the basics of plastic surgery and I think the waiting list for Extreme Makeover is just a little long for anything of any urgency."

Lorelai had missed having banter. Where had it gone?

"Mom?"

Lorelai snapped out of her trance. "I'm here."

"So, why the sudden need to don the red, white, and blue leotard?"

"I need to move Luke's boat." There was a pause on the other end. "Rory?"

"Why do you need to move it?"

"Because otherwise I'd be scared of Lovely Rita coming and knocking down my door telling me the specifics of the town regulations that it's currently violating."

"What?" Rory paused to think. "Wait a minute, who?"

"Lovely Rita."

"Since when do we have a meter maid?"

"That was exactly my question!"

"But anyway, why wouldn't she go bang on Luke's door and tell him all the town regulations?"

"Because she thinks that I own the boat."

"And why does she think this?"

"Because that's what I told her. I mean, technically it is mine. I bought it. But it is _Luke's_ boat, I guess. Anyway, I paid the parking ticket for it and she told me it had to be off the street in two days." Lorelai sighed.

She was now walking through the middle of town towards Weston's. She needed coffee in order to think properly, she resolved. But although she was walking the familiar route through the square, she did not look up. She concentrated on the ground in front of her, making sure not to trip. It was difficult walking on grass in stilettos.

"Two days?" Rory more stated than asked. "That's not very long."

"That's what I said!" Lorelai wasn't really sure if she had actually said it, or just felt it, but it was good to have her intentions reiterated by someone else.

"Why'd you pay the fine?"

"What?"

"You didn't have to, you know. You _could_ have just left it for Luke to deal with."

"It's not fair to him. Where's he going to put it?"

"Back in our garage."

Lorelai snorted. "If only."

"What?"

Lorelai didn't respond.

"Mom?"

"I miss him, Rory."

"I know you do. But it's more than that, isn't it?"

Again, Lorelai chose to remain silent.

"You love him, don't you?"

Lorelai sat down on a bench and leaned her head back to stare at the drifting clouds in the sky. Her eyes misted over and threatened tears, but none broke forth.

"Mom?"

"Yeah."

"You love him, don't you?" Rory posed again.

"Yeah," she finally admitted.

A minute passed, as had the majority of the clouds. The sky started turning radiant shades of violet and salmon, and Lorelai could only watch in wonder.

"Rory?" she finally beckoned.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"I'll do anything." She wanted him back more than anything. She wanted to be held in his arms again. To have him at her house again. To have the boat back in her garage again. To have him working on the boat again. To be "all in" again. And she was sure that she would have to be the one to get it there again.

"Anything, huh?" her daughter asked. She sounded more than willing to help Lorelai's desperate situation.

Lorelai picked up her head and stood up, walking the rest of the way to Weston's. "Anything," she affirmed, now excited with the sheer possibility of a quick and romantic reconciliation that would be initiated by her.

Lorelai could hear Rory musing over a solution on the other end as she entered Weston's and ordered a coffee to go. When she was handed her paper cup she paid and left, her phone still attached to her ear.

"Is there anything wrong with the Jeep? Can't you tow stuff on the back of it?"

"Nothing's wrong with the Jeep, but the problem remains that I don't know how to hook..." Lorelai stopped herself short when she looked up from the ground and saw beyond her Luke's Diner – without a boat on the street in front of it.

A pregnant pause.

"Mom?" she heard ring in her ear.

"Oh my god."

"Mom? What happened? Are you okay?"

"The boat."

"What about the boat?"

"It's not here."

"It's not there?"

"It's gone."

"What does that mean?" Rory asked.

Lorelai never heard the question. "It's gone," she repeated to herself.

Neither Gilmore girl spoke for a minute or two.

"Well," Rory eased in, "I guess that means I don't have to get you an invisible plane."

TBC


	4. AntiIndividualism

Lorelai sauntered home, exhausted. For all the planning that she had been up to, it was miserable for none of it to be of any use. But when she reached the first pieces gravel designating her driveway, a light coming out of her garage caught her attention. She looked around herself curiously and cautiously while quickening her step. She stopped in her tracks before she ever reached it. She knew what it was: the boat was back.

She was dumbfounded at its presence. This was what she was hoping to do all day, and now it was already there. She should have been happy, shouldn't she? She couldn't reason. Just when she thought her mind should have been racing even more than was normal for her, it was a complete blank. Only one thought remained: the boat was back.

She opened the front door to her house without ever recalling lifting a foot to get there. With slight hesitation she called out to the abyss. "Luke?" She didn't know if she would get mad, or flustered, or weak at the knees when she would see him – hell, she didn't even know if she wanted to see him – but she knew he was there.

She walked into the kitchen, still unaware of any effort that it took for her to move herself from one place to another. Before she crossed the threshold she saw him sitting at the table, his back turned to her. He was breathing slowly and she felt like reversing her steps to not wake him in case he was asleep, but she stood there immovable with her eyes running slowly down his body in order to register every nuance in his body language. He looked defeated and very much alone: the perfect replica of how she felt.

Now convinced he was asleep, she turned in place towards the living room, making a silent prayer that whatever he wanted could wait until later.

"Lorelai, we need to talk," she heard over her shoulder. She had not yet even left the room, but as startled as she was to hear his voice she did not react outwardly in any way.

"Shh," she hushed him. "Go back to sleep. It can wait."

"No, Lorelai. We haven't spoken for too long."

She could hear him turn in his chair behind her and she reciprocated the action. She hesitated looking into his eyes, but when she did, his eyes bored into her, making her want to recoil. But she didn't.

"Luke... I..."

"This isn't about you and me. This is about _us_. You lied to begin with - and I know now that you didn't do anything - but I didn't listen to what you _did_ say. But it doesn't matter what we did to each other as individuals because what matters is what we did to _us_. Do you hear me, Lorelai?"

She nodded, no longer looking at him, and bit her lip as hard as she could to hold back the tears. _Three little words_, she prompted herself._ Three little words._

"Lorelai, I..." Luke started.

Lorelai sniffed back her pride and cut him off. _Three little words_. "You love me." She said it. They weren't the three words that she had planned, but they would do.

"Well..." Luke paused, dumbfounded, "yeah."

Lorelai laughed and in doing so let go of her jaw's grasp on her lower lip, and let go the tears that she had held for too long. She hugged herself and sniffed. "I love you, too, Luke." _That was five words_, she thought to herself and laughed a little more.

Luke stood up and looked at her intently. The closer he got to her, the more aware she was of his physical presence. It was this that she had been missing.

"What did I say about talking about us as individuals?" Luke teased quietly when he was less than an arms length away. He was clearly wrought with as much emotion as Lorelai.

She looked up at him and sniffed back a tear before responding. Serious was her response: "We love each other."

And he kissed her. It was with the fervor and desire of their first kisses, back at the Dragonfly, but a new bittersweet, lacrimal taste intermingled with the old familiarity of their love.

Luke pulled back, and looked at Lorelai with question in his eyes. "You paid the fine on my boat."

Lorelai looked at him with resolve. "What did you say about talking about us as individuals?"

Luke smiled and kissed her again. He was back.

FIN


End file.
